


A Study in Exility

by AmphigoricSymphony, DemonicSymphony



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Accidental Bonding, Alpha Sebastian, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, M/M, Omega Jim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-25
Updated: 2013-10-25
Packaged: 2017-12-30 09:03:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1016717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmphigoricSymphony/pseuds/AmphigoricSymphony, https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonicSymphony/pseuds/DemonicSymphony
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim and Sebastian have worked together for years. Sebastian believes Jim to be an Alpha. They find themselves in a situation neither expected.</p><p>Really, it's a bit of A/O MorMor fluff. Well, as fluffy as these two can get.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Study in Exility

**Author's Note:**

> We did this to take a short break from our other stories a while back. Finally got around to posting it.

Jim rubbed his temples as he sat at his desk. He needed a vacation. Two weeks away from this madness. He leaned back in his chair and texted Moran. The arse had become increasingly distant over the past couple of months. Jim wasn’t sure what had happened, but it had come to the point where he couldn’t _find_ Moran half the time and that just would not do.

 _Where are you?_ JMx

He slid open the locked drawer and checked his medicine. Another few weeks and the vacation wouldn't be optional. He couldn’t very well deny everything for too long. These fifteen months were the longest he'd pushed things.

Jim was livid and the pheromones in the office would be telling if Moran showed up. He steepled his fingers and waited on a reply. The man drove him mad. If the situation were different... Jim shook his head. It wasn’t. He’d built this from the ground up and he would not lose it because of something so stupid.

Time ticked by and he became increasingly annoyed. Moran was his second. Where the fuck did he think he was? Jim’s jaw worked. His fingers flew over his phone.

 _Where the fuck are you, Moran?_ JMx

Sebastian was sitting at the pub having a beer with a beautiful silver haired omega. He was a bit stockier than he normally liked and a copper to boot. Detective actually. Sebastian found himself rather impressed with the man to tell the truth. He liked omegas with a bit fight in them. Anyone who could make Detective Inspector as an omega certainly had what he was looking for. Greg was looking for someone to spend his next heat with, no expectations of bonding. That was fine by Sebastian. 

He needed something to take the edge off. His attraction to Jim was driving him crazy. He knew it was from protecting him for so long in heated situations. Jim was pure alpha though and that was _not_ a road Sebastian wanted to go down. He’d seen it fail too many times in the army. 

He’d ignored the first text from Jim, writing it off, but the second one made him snarl and Greg blinked. “Sorry, my boss. He’s apparently forgotten it’s my day off.” He held up a finger as he swiped out a reply.

 _It’s my fucking day off. I get one day a week, remember? I’m back on in the morning. I’ve an omega on the line for his next heat. Fuck off Jim._ SM

Jim glowered at his phone. He tried to keep calling him Moran in his mind, but he’d been Sebastian for a long time. Sebastian in private, hell in front of the men half the time. They’d been in it from the beginning together. Sebastian was as much a part of the network as Jim was. His name carried nearly as much weight.

He shoved paperwork off the desk. Fuck Sebastian and his request for a new Sig. Jim stalked out from behind his desk and down the stairs to Sebastian’s study. A small wicked smile crossed his face. Jim took his time. Five bottles of Sebastian’s very expensive, very hard to source beers later, Jim had marked every fucking surface of Sebastian’s study. 

He was weaving. The thought of the stairs in his state were a bit much. Sebastian’s study smelled like an alpha near rut. Let the fucker come home to that.

Jim sat down on the sofa with the last of the beer in his hand. He grinned as he looked around. Sebastian was going to be so angry with him and it would be delightful. He scratched idly at the back of his neck. His vacation needed to be here already. He was going home to Ireland, back to the cabin he loved.

He shoved off the sofa suddenly, needing to get out of the study. Despite his dosing of things Sebastian still permeated the air. Somehow he made it to his room and passed out on top of his bed, still mostly dressed.

Sebastian was livid. He’d come home to find all but one of his beers gone and Jim’s fucking scent _everywhere_ in his study. He was going to kill him. He was going to fucking kill the mad bastard. He opened the windows, radioed the men to let them know a way in was open and to keep an eye out.

Sebastian snatched the last beer and stalked out, slamming and locking the door behind him. He paused outside Jim’s room, considering waking him. His eyes closed, too tired to deal with Jim tonight. He needed a fucking wank anyhow after talking to Greg. The man would be in heat in less than two weeks, right before Jim was going on vacation. He’d make the little bastard give him the week off to spend with Greg for this shit.

He made his way up to his rooms and killed his beer. Sebastian stripped out of his clothes and slid into bed. He let out a groan of appreciation. He’d been half hard all night listening to Greg describe how his heats went. He wrapped his hand around himself and quickly stroked himself fully hard.

Sebastian moaned as he thought about having Greg underneath him, he wondered how that silver hair would look sticking up all over the place after being thoroughly fucked. It wasn’t going to take him long. He used fast, hard strokes as he imagined the lithe body, that dark hair mussed. His brain barely had time to register that it had switched to Jim before he was cursing and spilling on himself, Jim’s name on his lips.

_Fuck._

He let out a loud growl as he panted. Sebastian yanked his shirt off the floor and cleaned himself up. He collapsed back against the bed, tired. This had to fucking stop. He cursed at himself and fell into an uneasy sleep.

The next morning found Sebastian in the kitchen slamming around much later than usual. Jim dragged in and made a face, “Enough with the fucking racket ‘Bastian.” He was hungover. Sebastian’s beer had higher than normal alcohol content and he was a fucking lightweight. He hated it. 

Sebastian softened immediately at the use of the familiar name on Jim’s lips. He was pouring Jim a cup of coffee and buttering a slice of toast for him before he realized what he was doing. A loud growl came from him and he shoved away from the counter. Jim was not an omega and he certainly wasn’t Sebastian’s in any way, shape, or form… He ground his teeth.

“You fucking do that to my study again and I’ll drop you from the roof.” He was gone after saying the words leaving a cup of coffee half poured and the knife on the piece of toast.

Jim smirked as he finished buttering the toast and poured the coffee the rest of the way. He sprawled at the kitchen table and nibbled on the toast while sipping the coffee. Sebastian would forgive him, he always did.

Sebastian gingerly opened his door to the study and was relieved when Jim’s scent had died down to normal levels again overnight. Jim’s scent had always had an underlying sweetness to it. He supposed that’s why Jim didn’t really go after omegas very often. Every once in a while an alpha was just better suited to betas, or even exceedingly aggressive alphas. Might even have to do with why Sebastian… _Fuck, no_. He was not going down that road this morning.

He settled in with his coffee and started flipping through the monitors. Sebastian spent the next couple of hours going over some reports and filling out a few invoices Jim needed. He cracked his neck as he looked up at the clock. Sebastian decided to go find the little asshole and give him a piece of his mind.

Jim looked up as Sebastian stormed into the office. Water, coffee, and painkillers later, Jim was feeling up to the challenge. He smiled sweetly to Sebastian. “Morning dearie. Sleep alright?”

Sebastian growled low in his throat. He had decidedly not slept well. Images of Jim crying for him to fuck him had invaded every goddamned dream he’d had. “Back the fuck off, Jim. You’re giving me a week off in two weeks. I’ve got an omega to see. It’s been too long for me and you know it.”

Jim was immediately irritated. “You will absolutely, without a doubt, not be taking the week right before my vacation off. I need you here to make sure things go smoothly while I’m gone and you coming off a fucking rut is _not_ going to work.”

Sebastian snarled and it took everything Jim had not to cower. He’d never had a problem handling Sebastian before. He shook it off and growled low at the massive man. The two of them glared at each other across the room. Sebastian’s nose flared and he stalked closer. 

“You _will_ give me that week off, Jim.” Sebastian’s hands were on Jim’s desk and he was leaning threateningly into Jim’s space.

Jim swallowed at the pheromones rolling off of Sebastian. Fuck, what was going on with him? He’d taken his medicine the night be- _shit. Shit_! He gazed up at Sebastian, willing the man to get the fuck out of his office. “Fine! I’ll go on vacation now! You can have your fucking rut.” Fifteen months. One missed dose was enough. _Fuck_.

Anger flared in his chest and Sebastian leaned in just a breath closer, ready to snarl at him when the sudden, nearly overwhelming scent of a cowering omega wrapped around his senses and rendered him still for a moment. He narrowed his eyes and whirled around, expecting to find an interloper. 

The room was as empty as it had been, just he and Jim present. What the fuck? He turned back to Jim and growled at him, seething. “The fuck game are you playing at?”

It took everything Jim had in him to growl, “Get out. Get the fuck out.” His blood pressure was through the roof. He had to calm down. Every nervous pulse of his heart was going to do nothing but make everything worse. _Fuck_. He had to get Sebastian out of the office and then get to his rooms. He prayed Andrews was not on today. Andrews was the only other alpha he dared employ and that had been at Sebastian’s insistence. 

Sebastian moved on instinct. _Christ_ but Greg hadn’t put out anything so strong. He stalked around the desk, crowding Jim out from in front of his chair, stopping toe to toe with the smaller man and leering down at him, rumbling in his chest. His hand twitched to wrap around Jim’s throat, though he narrowly controlled it. 

“There are three possible explanations to what’s happening at this exact fucking moment. You’ve stuffed an in-heat omega under your desk,” he made a show of looking, not at all expecting that to be the case, “you’re an omega in secret,” he paused to laugh heartily before leaning into Jim’s space, his lips a breath away from Jim’s temple, “or you’re trying out some sort of pheromone as a little experiment.” 

He leaned back just enough to watch Jim’s face, his blood surging, palms dampening in his effort not to throw Jim over his desk. 

Jim was having a hell of a time not tilting his head for Sebastian. He cleared his throat, the noise much less strong than he would have liked, “Good, the new pheromone is working. Now get out.” His voice almost trembled and he set his jaw. “Go away ‘Bastian.” He ground his teeth at the way the name rolled off his tongue, accent thicker than normal.

Jesus, but Sebastian smelled good. He always smelled him, had always appreciated it. Sebastian was gunpowder and smoke and ozone. Strong and calming in horrible situations. But it had never affected him like this. He barely contained the whine that wanted to work its way out.

Sebastian stayed exactly as he was, narrowing his eyes. The scent was originating from Jim. He growled at him and his hand pressed against the flat of Jim’s chest, running swiftly down, trailing along all of the inner hidden pockets Sebastian knew of. He stepped closer as he found nothing, teeth bared and eyes flashing. 

“Whatever the hell game you’re playing, it is rapidly becoming _dangerous_ for you,” he snarled, his hand going back up to Jim’s throat, unable to resist now that his hand was physically on him. Why the fuck had Jim not fought him off by now?

Jim’s composure snapped and he tried to shove at Sebastian. He clawed at the hand wrapped around his throat. He had to get out, had to get away. He could not do this. When he tried to get away the whine finally escaped him. _Fuck_. Jim froze, the whine was unmistakable. No alpha whined like that. His eyes closed and he tried to take a deep breath.

Sebastian swore and shoved Jim hard away from him as every instinct down to his marrow screamed at him. He stumbled back in a bid to protect Jim from himself, panting, putting a large leather wing back between them and gripping the headrest hard enough to blanch his knuckles.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” he growled, his feet twitching to move, aching with want to sink his teeth to the side of Jim’s neck and pin him down. “Christ Jim what the fuck are you playing at? Christ. How many fucking years-” a rush of instinct roared over him and he had to close his eyes and force himself to remain present, focusing on his higher thinking as his mind tried to shut down so that his body could take over. 

Jim swallowed, shaking his head. He nearly stepped forward, closer to Sebastian. “It’s why I take a vacation once a year. Lock myself away at the cabin. Fifteen months this time.” He had no idea why he was telling Sebastian this, “‘Bastian _please_.” Christ, that had come out wrong. “G-go. Let me get to the safe room.”

He didn’t want to go to the safe room. He wanted to go up to Sebastian’s fucking rooms and put their combined scents on everything. “I- you smell _so_ good.”

Sebastian was already coming around the chair as Jim dropped his name with a thick Irish accent and a fucking _plea_. He stalked over to the smaller man, autopilot, reaching out for him and pulling him close even as he backed them to the wall. One hand shot out and braced against the absurdly expensive paper, the other sliding up from the lapel of Jim’s fucking Westwood to wrap around his throat. 

He said nothing, already incapable of speech, angling Jim’s head to the side with a harsh press of his thumb under Jim’s ear, growling dangerously as he dropped his teeth to the join of neck and shoulder, half skin, half expensive fabric in his mouth. 

Jim’s hands shot out and curled in Sebastian’s shirt, trying to pull him closer. His head dropped as he relaxed, offering even more of himself. He was babbling, “Fuck, your rooms, damnit. ‘Bastian. Your rooms! Andrews!” He whimpered at the thought. He prayed that would get through to Sebastian. _Fuck_. 

Sebastian ground his hips against the omega pinned to the wall, registering words that should matter. He pulled his teeth back with sheer force of will and panted, pupils blown so wide all the color had receded from his eyes. He blinked and tried to grasp at the words, surfacing at the sound of distress in Jim’s voice. Jim. He had Jim under his hands. 

He pulled back with a hand on Jim’s neck and tore him away from the wall. “Go. Quickly.” He snapped, shoving him away and letting him lead, hoping the infuriating man would be fucking quick about it. _Andrews_ could be a goddamn problem if this got out. 

Jim stumbled but gained his feet. He darted to the door, willing to risk invoking Sebastian’s alpha state further. He made it out the door and was running for Sebastian’s rooms. If he caught up with Jim now Sebastian would instinctively drag him up there to nest anyhow. 

He was cursing himself as he ran. Stupid. So fucking stupid. Sebastian’s text had put him off taking his meds. Fuck.

His mind shut down as soon as the little omega gave flight. He moved with stealth, following the scent as though the man were running with a red paintbrush to the floor, leaving a trail that was all but visible. He moved without sound, catching him about the waist on the second landing and easily throwing him over his shoulder. 

He took the next flights two at a time, adrenaline lending him strength. His rooms were open and he dropped the man inside the door, shutting it with his boot behind him, prowling forward and rumbling a warning through his ribs. 

Jim slipped out of his jacket and watched Sebastian as he slowly scooted backwards towards the sofa. He let out a whimper when his back hit it. “‘Bastian.” The name was a plea as his fingers went to his tie, struggling with the knot before he finally loosed it and got it over his head. 

He worked desperately at the buttons on his shirt. Jim really didn’t want to lose it to Sebastian. Fuck it, he didn’t care. He scrambled to his feet and whined, tilting his head to the side in invitation.

The open submission settled Sebastian as he came forward, less predatory, reaching out and pulling Jim to him. He tilted his head to breathe deep along Jim’s neck, eyes closing with a low rumble of approval. One hand dropped into Jim’s hair, holding his offered neck to the side as the other wrapped around his hip, teeth returning to the join of neck and shoulder. 

He bit down with more than enough force to properly bruise, stopping shy of breaking skin. Skin which there was not enough of. He pulled back with a growl and tore at the shirt, buttons flying, nearly frantic in his efforts to get it off of Jim, off of _his_ omega. 

Jim helped, shrugging out of the shirt once Sebastian popped the buttons. He whined and tugged at Sebastian’s shirt. His demanding personality was no different during his heats. He unbuckled his belt as he kicked off his own shoes. It itched. All of it fucking itched and suddenly he was tearing at his own clothes desperate to get them off. 

Jim soon had his trousers on the floor and sent them skidding away. He leaned into Sebastian, pressing his face against Sebastian, _his_ alpha. His ‘Bastian. Jim drew in a deep breath as he managed to get out of his socks. He whined in need and pressed close.

Sebastian made a deep, pleased sound as Jim stripped down and pressed against him. He was swiftly pressing them back, one hand on the back of Jim’s neck, steering him towards the bedroom. Sebastian had nested the bed days ago as his rut neared and he all but purred as he pressed Jim into the complicated mess of pillows and blankets. 

“Mine,” he snarled, tearing off his own shirt and tossing it as he looked down and licked his lips. Sebastian was nearly mad with an omega in the center of his nest. He yanked his boots off and then his trousers, rumbling as he looked over Jim.

Jim arched up against Sebastian. His head went to the side as he rolled his hips and whined low in his throat. “Yours.” Sebastian’s scent was overwhelming and Jim wanted it all over him, wanted to go out in public reeking of Sebastian. 

Sebastian dropped down on Jim, using his weight to pin him and sinking a claiming bite over the same area he’d been working already. He drew blood this time, intent to bond, no higher thinking on whatsoever. This was _his_ omega and that was that. 

He growled as he lapped at the welling blood, driven to rutting oblivion. One hand on Jim’s shoulder, he flipped him, teeth at the back of his neck as he pulled Jim's hips up, instinct to bed him properly. 

Jim fell into a proper position for Sebastian. He presented beautifully, keening for Sebastian, begging properly for his alpha. The bite at the bottom of his neck throbbed with the promise of binding the two together if they were compatible. The thought of them not being was ludicrous. It was a wonder they’d made it this long.

He pressed back, pushy and still Jim somewhere under all the layers of need and desire. His voice was a purr, “My alpha, please. ‘Bastian!”

The begging had him and he replaced teeth with fingers at the back of Jim’s neck. He slid himself over the core of his omega, groaning as he found him slick, scent overwhelming. Jim was fucking intoxicating. He took hold of himself and nudged forward, dropping his back so that his chest pressed down against Jim, securing him as he growled and began to slide in. 

“Mine, _mine_ ,” he rumbled as he sank slowly into his submitting omega. 

Jim was lost as Sebastian sank into him. He pressed back against him. “‘Bastian, yours. Yours!” He pressed his face into the mattress whining loudly. The noises being torn from him were delicious. Jim was begging for more, begging for Sebastian to ‘fucking claim me’.

Reserve snapped, Sebastian pulled up away from him, gripping the back of his neck hard and pinning him to the mattress as he rocked hard into him. He set up a brutal pace, lost to the need to mate, drunk on the scent of his omega. He had no other drive than to claim him, mark him, keep him as his own. No alpha would come within scented distance and not know this little omega belonged to someone. 

He held Jim’s hip in a bruising grip and growled, lost to it. 

Jim was gone, he rode wave after wave of endorphins. He was on the edge of orgasm already. Sebastian’s pace was brutal, wonderful, exactly what Jim needed. He was biting at the pillows in the nest as Sebastian fucked him. This was his alpha, his mate. He would have no other, never wanted another. 

He pleaded with noises and unintelligible words as it went on. Jim was completely sunk into his omega side, wanting nothing more than to please his alpha.

Sebastian’s pace was interrupted as his body knotted on him, something he’d never allowed, nearly startling him as he was suddenly caught, unable to withdraw as much as he wanted. He growled and made clipped, rumbling noises as he folded back over Jim, one hand wrapping around Jim’s cock as he carried on rocking inside of him, slower and more careful pace despite the speed with which he worked his hand. 

He bit down over the still-bleeding mark he’d put on Jim’s shoulder, lapping at the scented blood, growling with pleasure before suddenly shouting, deep and loud, spilling into Jim. 

The feel of his alpha knotted and spilling inside him set him off. He keened into the pillows as he came body milking Sebastian as he spilled onto the bed. He shook while his noises of pleasure were muffled somewhat by the blankets and pillows.

Jim was lost, nothing but his alpha mattered. His alpha. Everyone would know. Their scents would be intertwined.

Sebastian came down slowly, still knotted, pulling Jim to his chest as he rolled them to their sides, rumbling pleasantly. He instinctively laved at the weeping skin, soothing and trying to help ease it. He whispered ‘ _mine_ ’ against the small man’s neck and let his eyes fall closed as the moment washed over him. 

Jim’s eyes were closed as he pressed back against Sebastian. He made small noises of contentment as they pressed together, still wonderfully joined. His body was floating, utterly content. Jim’s small hand folded over Sebastian’s and he clung to him. 

Sebastian settled his teeth lightly over Jim’s shoulder, not at all biting, simply resting there as his eyes closed and he dozed off. He did not move for the better part of a half hour as the bonding completed, slowly settling. 

He came up from his doze, his mental capacity mostly returned. He eased out of Jim carefully and rolled to his back, pressing a hand to his eyes. 

“Would you care to tell me exactly _why_ you chose to hide this from me, now that we’ve apparently fucking _bonded_.”

Jim had been back with it for the better part of ten minutes dreading this conversation. Anxiety flared across the bond. He tried to pull it back and let out a small sound of distress when he couldn’t. 

His eyes closed as he took in a deep breath, “I’d have never been able to accomplish this as an omega. You know that. I- I started suppressants when I was young, just after I first presented. Stealing them at first. My entire family _still_ thinks I’m an alpha. My _family_. I was out on one of my stupid rambles when it happened. Used to sneak off in the summer. Camp by the lake.”

He shook his head, “I’d seen what happened to my cousin. It wasn’t happening to me. She was bundled off and married to the first alpha with any money who would have her… forced into a bond she didn’t want just because they were vaguely compatible.”

He wrapped up around himself, burying under a blanket as if he could hide from Sebastian.

Sebastian had settled with his eyes closed as Jim began to explain, his anxiety and fear thrumming through the bond sharply, nearly taking Sebastian’s breath away. The bond itched in his mind; a new sensation he’d never experienced, invasive and entirely unwelcome. Despite that, he could not ignore his troubled omega, growling softly at him for rolling away. 

He followed Jim down into the blankets, wrapping an arm around him and tugging him back, easily tucking him against his chest. “You should have told me when you knew I was safe. I would have fucking _talked_ to you about this instead of bonding in the stupor of rut.” 

Jim let out a snarl, born from years of standing up to every alpha he could. His anger flared, “I forgot my fucking shot because you bragged about the omega you were going to bed.” Jealousy wrapped itself around everything, the thought of Sebastian with another omega, even before Sebastian knew had cut.

Sebastian rumbled at him, setting his teeth to the back of Jim’s neck as he snarled, warning, his arms flexed tight around him as the urge to dominate his bucking omega flared back to life. He breathed deep as his still-fuzzy mental faculties threatened to shutter off, the rising sound of challenge from the core of his nest threatening and pushing him to assert. 

He managed to speak, low and rough, “Settle. It’s done. You are mine. Be careful.”

Jim sulked back down a tremor running through him. He pressed against Sebastian, head ducked in apology. He was quiet, trying to get a handle on the bond between them. It niggled at the back of his brain. Jim tried to sort out what he was feeling and if any of them were actually Sebastian’s instead of his.

He spoke softly finally, “You never bonded. Before I mean. W-why now?” The uncertainty hurt. He should have run for the safe room, locked himself in. Sebastian would have probably been too addled to remember how to override it. He hadn’t wanted to trap Sebastian. He’d been protecting the brute just as much as he’d been protecting himself.

Sebastian let his teeth fall away from Jim’s neck, nuzzling him instead. The insecurity humming through the bond completely unacceptable. “Never had anyone worth it,” he said gently, brushing his lips over the bite. “It was not planned, I was not..” he hummed and brought his knees up, pressing them to the underside of Jim’s thighs, curling him in tight. He licked at the bite and tried again. 

“I’ve had such a pull to you for _years_. I would not bed another alpha, always ends badly. When you... when I scented you, it was too much, I could not contain myself.”

Jim let out a sigh of relief and finally relaxed again. “They’re going to know, you’re going to be in danger. They’ll try to figure out who you’re bonded to.” Fuck. He’d put Sebastian in danger. His mind spun as he tried to think. His own supply of cover up would have to be changed. “Have to, shit... My entire supply of pheromones and smell is compromised. You, it will have to smell more like you.” 

He shifted a bit, wanting to roll and tuck up against Sebastian. “I’ve been jealous. Several years now… Every time you’ve gone off to have a rut it’s eaten at me.”

Sebastian eased his grip on Jim to allow him freedom, rolling him over to face him as Sebastian went to his back. “No more masking yourself,” he said sharply, shaking his head. “I will _not_ have a bonded mate hiding. If there is a threat, I will deal with it. No one _here_ would dare challenge me, including Andrews.”

He pulled Jim to him, snuggling down with him and wrapping the corner of one of the blankets over him. “I gladly would have bedded you a long time ago, avoided travel and shifting through them. So dull. Even the ones I took without arrangement. Met an interesting omega earlier... not nearly as fucking interesting as you though.” He finally smiled then, nipping at Jim’s jaw. 

Jim was soothed somewhat, but not completely. He tucked his face against Sebastian, voice muffled somewhat. “I wasn’t worried about our crew… Though Andrews probably isn’t going to be happy about being bossed about after he finds out. If he hasn’t fucking smelled me already.” He huffed in irritation, “I was talking about our business associates.” 

Jim muttered a curse to himself, “You realize this is going to damage us? Damage everything I’ve built?” He let out a soft whine, “You’re going to have to claim it’s been you all along to save it.” That hurt. Jim had done so much to keep this hidden. He nuzzled Sebastian. Jim couldn’t help the elation at the bond. Sebastian and he belonged to one another and that in itself was wonderful. Not hiding spelled trouble though.

Sebastian huffed a laugh at that. “Don’t be an idiot,” he clipped, shifting and licking his lips after Jim whined at him, “When the hell have you ever played by the book. You built it as an omega, you can damned well run it as one. Your net is cast too wide. Let it go public and when the first fucking fool gives you hell about it, you let me put them down messy. I will not take credit for your work -it wouldn’t float anyhow, no one would buy it- and you will not hide.”

He nuzzled the side of Jim’s head with a fond rumble and breathed deep, trying to settle Jim so that he could damn well settle himself. 

Jim hummed softly at the rumble and the words. He finally untucked himself and looked up at Sebastian. “Sorry about the study. I was angry, took my scent bottle with me.” He tried not to smirk though. “Not hiding. You realize it’s not going to be easy? I’ve lived as an alpha my entire life. I won’t back down and it’s going to infuriate people. You will have to intervene.”

He crawled up and nuzzled his face against Sebastian. His tongue darted out and he licked along Sebastian’s neck. Jim settled as he breathed in Sebastian’s scent. Possessiveness snaked through him in a happy way. His alpha. Jim half draped himself against Sebastian, pressing close, at ease finally.

Sebastian laughed as he curled around Jim. “When are you not infuriating people? My job is to protect you, now more than ever, and three hours ago I would have gladly stepped in front of a bullet to keep you safe. Now?” He closed his eyes as the mental imagery of some hulking alpha going after Jim played out and he growled, rage and intense protectiveness flooding through his veins like the need for air, twisted down to his DNA. 

He opened his eyes slowly and spoke, voice low and rough, “It will happen, and when I’ve hung a man using his own gut, word will spread and no one will dare think it. You will be safe, your empire will stand. You’ve managed through all of this since you were a boy in heat and you will manage now.”

Jim’s breath caught as everything flared harshly across the bond. He gazed at Sebastian as he reached up and trailed fingers along his jaw. “I am sorry I did not tell you. I am sorry this happened in the heat of the moment. But I am not sorry it happened. Not at all.” Jim had finally settled fully. He let a small grin play across his lips, “And, well, I do like watching you work.”

Sebastian laughed and nuzzled at him. “Twisted little madman,” he said with a smile, leaning down to finally kiss Jim properly, more human than alpha, just savoring the ability to do so. When he pulled back he took a breath and looked around the room, considering. 

“You will stay here with me now, not your rooms. I’ll have the staff move you in.” There was no question. His omega would not be sleeping elsewhere. He reached up and tugged at Jim’s hair before sliding out from under him and pressing him down into the nest. He got up and walked out of the room without another word, returning several minutes later with a cold glass of water and a plate of cheese and bread, setting it down beside Jim, the need to feed his mate nearly blinding. 

Jim pulled himself up to lean back against the headboard, popping a cube of cheese into his mouth. He pulled the glass of water to him and sipped at it as he watched Sebastian. He did not argue about moving. “The thought of not being with you at night is repellant.” Jim’s tone was almost amused, laced with his normal 'don’t be obvious' tones. 

He ate happily, watching Sebastian. Jim idly scratched the back of his neck and then trailed fingers over the bond mark. His eyes closed, a smile crossing his face. He gazed back to Sebastian, still touching it. 

His heat was different this time. He watched Sebastian, knowing he was the reason. Heats had always been an inconvenience, trouble. He smiled again at the knowledge he wouldn’t have to be alone anymore.

Sebastian slid back up into the nest and crawled over Jim’s legs, nudging them slightly apart. He settled down with his chest over Jim’s thighs, turning his head to the side and resting it at the odd angle just below Jim’s navel, humming as his arms wrapped around his mate. 

“I dislike knotting,” he grumped after a few minutes silence, shifting and settling as he listened to Jim eat, letting his eyes fall closed. 

Jim ran his hands through Sebastian’s hair tenderly. “Well,” he let out a small sound, “I rather liked it, thank you.” He tugged lightly on Sebastian’s hair. Jim let his head rest back against the headboard as he continued combing his fingers through Sebastian’s short hair.

He was quiet, humming every once in a while as he touched his alpha. His fingers massaged Sebastian’s scalp, intent on comfort for the man. His voice was soft, “My alpha, my ‘Bastian.”

Jim had him lulled into a gentle doze in no time, his fingers soothing, the bond running calm as his omega ate and settled. Sebastian was exhausted, far more than a typical rut. He’d heard that bonding could be taxing, had no idea it would be like this. 

He shifted and waited while Jim ate, and when he sensed the man had finished, he pulled him down and tucked Jim against him, pulling the blankets over their heads, settling with his hand loose on Jim’s neck. 

Jim hadn’t realized how exhausted he was until Sebastian had pulled him down and under the covers. He murmured sleepily as he settled in. A hand wrapped around Sebastian’s wrist at his throat. He closed his eyes, feeling protected and _right_ for the first time in his life.

He fell asleep against his alpha, happy and content.

**Author's Note:**

> Exility - Smallness; meagerness; slenderness; fineness, thinness.


End file.
